Developing future North American standards for architectural woodwork

Developing future North American standards for architectural woodwork

On August 15, 2014, the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) received official approval as an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Developer of architectural woodwork standards. AWI pursued and achieved this status without notifying the Woodwork Institute or the other JSC standards partner, the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC), while at the same time collaborating on Architectural Woodwork Standards, Second Edition.

AWI’s independent pursuit of standards did not sit well with WI or AWMAC, and both organizations have been talking to AWI since then, primarily regarding equal ownership of the next standard. Unfortunately, ownership of an ANSI standard can only be held by one Standards Developing Organization (SDO). Different proposals were discussed, including the creation of one SDO equally owned by the three associations; however, AWI was not open to this option or other alternatives to its individual ownership.

Due to the lack of initial collaboration, reluctance to address equal ownership concerns, and AWI’s recent notice to both WI and AWMAC that it intends to continue its development of an ANSI Standard as the sole SDO, WI and AWMAC had no choice but to begin the dissolution of the Joint Standards Committee that created Architectural Woodwork Standards, First and Second Editions.

Although WI is dismayed that AWI has chosen to disregard the purpose of the JSC as defined in its operating agreement — to “create, maintain, update, and clarify as needed, a single architectural woodwork standard,” WI is excited to enter a new chapter in standards development for architectural woodwork in North America.

To read AWMAC’s message to its members about North American woodwork standards, visit its website here.